Stainless steel or decking screws ?

[robgraham]

I've got some wavey edged larch boards that I'm putting up as a wind break (4" wooden posts concreted in).

What is the lifespan of decking screws, or should I use stainless?

Rob

[Bob Minchin]

Why take the risk? just use stainless but keep the driver torque down as they can snap.

[Tim Watts]

Decking should last long enough.

But SS are not that expensive - more a case of they ar eliable to twist off and break when doing them up if the wood is hard (what's larch like?)

Eg

are fine self drilling into cedar, but not oak, which needs a pilot.

[The Medway Handyman]

I've had deck screws in use for 12 years without any failures.

[robgraham]

Thanks guys - it wasn't a penny-pinching matter but one of appearance as SS screws will be much more apparant visually than the darkish green of deck screws.